Mad World
by dandelion657
Summary: One Shot. Might be slightly AU. Based on a writing prompt for my English class: write a short story including elements of gothic literature. This is my adaptation of my story to Power Rangers. Better explanation inside. Based off of the song "Mad World." Rated T to be safe.


**Mad World**

**A One Shot**

_A/N: Okay, so this is AU of power rangers. Ranger events did happen, but RPM is in the current time instead of in another dimension (but kind of in the future, so the world did end, but the domed City of Corinth is the only place that's safe to live). It's kind of hard to explain the plot, but hopefully you will understand it._

_**How I got the idea: **__This is really supposed to be a gothic short story I wrote for my English class that is due on 5/10/13. It could be about anything we wanted to, as long as it included some elements of gothic literature. I already wrote the story and it's ready for me to hand in on Friday, but I liked the way it turned out, so I thought I would adapt it to fit Power Rangers. _

_Anything written in Italics aside from song lyrics is something not from my original story I have to hand in. The character in my short story is being changed to one of the Rangers so it makes more sense. I'm also giving a few nameless characters in the original a name. Hopefully you're understanding this._

_This is supposed to be set in the future, whenever the original rangers would be considered grandparent age._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own any Power Ranger character or event I may use. I own the plot. I don't own any song lyrics I use._

* * *

_The man smiled at the woman across from him as the twirled on the dance floor. He was in a tux, and she was in a white dress that reached the floor. Her brunette hair flowed down to her shoulders, and his hair stood in short spikes. All their friends and family were sharing this joyous moment with the new married couple, watching the dance with smiles on their faces._

_Everyone in the room knew this day would come eventually. The letter that had been sent almost a decade and a half ago seemed nonexistent once the two had found each other again. They had taken their new relationship slow until he finally asked the question and she agreed. They weren't planning on letting go of each other until death do them part. _

_Unbeknownst to them, that day would come sooner than they thought._

_Many years had passed since their wedding day. They eventually had children that grew up and started to lead their own lives. A few more generations of rangers had passed and it wasn't until rumors about a deadly virus broke out that had any past ranger on their toes. When the rumors became reality, every ranger tried finding a way to renew their power so they could help escort people into the only safe place of the domed city of Corinth. _

_Quite a few rangers had died in that fight, most of them being ones who were old enough to be grandparents._

_Those who died included the man's wife._

* * *

The town was small enough for people to be able to walk anywhere they wanted to go in a short amount of time and for news to spread rapidly, but it was big enough that not everybody knew each other. Visitors would say that it was a sunny and cheerful place, but if asked, any of the residents would say otherwise, and that there was always the sense that something was going to happen to ruin the cheerfulness of the day. No matter how long they lived there, none of the residents, including the oldest man there, knew why there was always a sense of foreboding things waiting to happen.

Mr. Oliver was the oldest living resident in the town. Everyone knew who he was, and he knew just about everyone in the town as well. He was a well liked person, and no one knew how long he had lived in the town. As far as the townsfolk knew, he was there long before anyone else. The old man had been living on his own for the past decade since his wife had passed. People had noticed he had fallen depressed, even if he never let it show. Mr. Oliver had kept up his daily routine throughout the years, taking things as they come and adapting to the changes of time and technology. He wasn't afraid of change, but he wanted something in life to remain constant, and that was his daily routine. Minor changes had been made to it every day, but for the most part, it stayed the same.

The elderly man woke up early around seven in the morning. It was a bit later than when he normally awoke, but it was still early enough, especially for a Saturday. Mr. Oliver slowly got up and headed for the bathroom to get ready. After getting dressed in his usual black pants and light colored shirt and jacket, he looked at himself in the mirror, combing back what little hair he had left on his head. He left the house, heading into town and for the café down the street.

He gave small greetings of good morning and hello to anyone he passed, offering small smiles to them as well. When he walked into the café, he saw few people there, it still being early enough for people to still be sleeping. The man took his seat at the counter, the same seat he had sat in since the café had opened up years ago. People in the town never sat in that seat because they knew it was his. Even though he only went to that café for breakfast, no one sat there but him. It wasn't spoken how that came to be, but after seeing him sit there every day for years, they just left that seat alone.

Mr. Oliver didn't even have to order anything. By now, the employees of the café knew he always came in between seven and eight in the morning, no matter what day it was. He had walked in to find his usual cup of coffee in front of his seat, waiting for him. Despite knowing what he was going to order, the waiter came up to him anyway.

"You want the usual?" he asked.

This time, Mr. Oliver surprised them and even himself as he placed his order. "Scrambled eggs and bacon this time, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," the waiter replied, trying to hide his shock. He went to tell the chef the order change. Mr. Oliver usually had an order of blueberry pancakes topped with a small amount of maple syrup. The breakfast he had ordered today was his late wife's favorite. He did not know why he had ordered it, or why he decided to suddenly change his order.

It didn't take long for the meal to appear, and he ate it at his normal pace. He was still out of there by nine, when he usually left to go do errands or explore the town. Today was one of those days he decided to explore the town. It was a beautiful day as usual, even if fall was just ending. As he walked out of the café, two young boys spotted him and walked up to him, holding cans that rattled with change.

"Excuse me, Mr. Oliver," the shorter of the two boys spoke. "Would you like to donate some spare change to help the local youth sports leagues?"

"Sorry boys, but not today," Mr. Oliver replied. "I'm afraid I don't have any loose change on me at the moment. Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Same time, Mr. Oliver," the taller one answered with a nod.

"I'll see you then, boys," he waved goodbye and set out into the town.

Whenever Mr. Oliver set off into the town, he would walk around until he found something to do. Today, however, seemed different. For reasons he did not know, Mr. Oliver already knew what he wanted to do and instead of heading off to wander around, he set his sights for the movie theater. He had not gone to see a movie in the theater since before his wife had passed. He walked by it plenty of times since, but never went into it to see a movie.

Mr. Oliver arrived at the theater and walked up to the ticket counter and asked for a ticket to a movie he had chosen randomly. None of the movie titles seemed the least bit familiar to him, so he chose one at random to see. Even though he had just eaten breakfast, he bought a small bag of popcorn. The employees were surprised to see him there, silently wondering why he chose now to return. They didn't question it, figuring he was just trying something new. The theater was not crowded this early, so it was no surprise that there was hardly anyone there.

After leaving the theater, he got a simple lunch from a different café. His mind tried to look for reasons why he was suddenly changing his normal routine, coming up with nothing. He sat on a bench in the park for a while, watching people walk their dogs, play with their kids, and hang out. The town was always peaceful and everyone was usually friendly toward each other. It came as no surprise when people stopped by him to say hello or ask how he was doing.

Having enough of being outside for the day, Mr. Oliver decided to head home. It was not a long walk back to his house from the park. When he walked in, he saw it was already almost dinner time. As usual, he set his coat on a chair and turned on the radio, listening to the songs that played as he made himself dinner. Some of the lyrics of the song that played caught his attention. He shook it off, figuring it to be some sort of coincidence.

After eating, he took a shower and got ready for bed. However, before he went to bed, he caught sight of the window. He walked over to it and looked out at the night sky. With a sudden urge to do something he had not done since he was a small boy, he opened up the window and stuck his head outside, looking up at the stars. Taking a deep breath, he began to mutter the phrase his mother had taught him.

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight," he began. "I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight." Shutting his eyes, he quietly made his wish before pulling back, shutting the window, and retreating to his bed for the night.

In the morning, he found he had woken up once again at seven in the morning. He figured it to be some strange coincidence. After getting ready, he headed for the café where he always had breakfast. He ordered the same thing he had yesterday, which still shocked the employees who knew him so well. When he left, he found the two boys out there again, collecting spare change to help the local sports groups.

"Here you go, boys," he gave them whatever change he had in his pockets at the moment.

"Thank you, Mr. Oliver," the boys thanked, smiling.

Mr. Oliver smiled back and headed on his way. Once again, his mind led him to the movie theater. He chose another movie at random, ordered a small popcorn, and sat inside the nearly empty theater. After leaving, he got the same lunch from the same café he had the previous day and ate in the park, watching the people go by and spend time with each other.

His routine when he got home was the same as the previous day. As he was making his dinner, he realized that he could not remember his old routine, thinking that the one he was in now had been the same one he followed for the past ten years. Mr. Oliver put it off as something that would never be explained or figured out and continued his normal night time activities. Before going to bed, he went to the window, looked out, and made the same wish he had the previous night.

The third day went exactly how the previous two had. He woke up, got ready, headed to the café, ate the same breakfast, and left. By now, he knew the two boys he saw the previous two days would be in school, it being a Monday and a school day. However, when he walked out, he saw the boys sitting there, collecting change. He was surprised they didn't ask him to donate again.

When he got to the theater, he bought a ticket for another random movie, bought a small popcorn, and sat in a now empty theater. He didn't expect anyone else to be there. He left, went to the café where he got lunch, and sat in the park. No one was there today except for a few parents with toddlers and some people on lunch break. After spending a couple more hours there, he went home. He set his coat on the chair, turned on the radio, and began making himself dinner. This time, he paid closer attention to some of the lyrics from the song.

_Everything has changed  
nothing's quite the same  
the world I knew so well  
is under a brand new spell_

_You made your moments last  
left us with quite a taste  
the life you lived so well  
into its arms you fell_

_And I only miss  
what I couldn't fix  
I only miss_

_Oh it's time  
for us to say goodbye  
and tear this world apart  
when will it start?_

The lyrics caught his attention. He realized his world had changed, and that what he knew seemed to be disappearing, as if it never existed or happened. At the moment, he could only remember the past few days and the time he had spent with his wide. With a sigh, he finished his dinner and began his nightly routine. He once again went to the window and made the same wish, hoping it would come true. With heavy eyelids, he fell asleep, the thoughts of taking a vacation beginning to run through his mind.

Shortly after he woke up the next day, he found himself driving out into the middle of nowhere. Not a building was in sight, and not a sound – except for the static of the radio – could be heard. It was just Mr. Oliver and the open road, leading him on his way to a new journey. After a while, he realized he was hungry and should probably get some breakfast. He saw a sign for a diner a few miles up ahead, and found it rather quickly. He pulled into the parking lot, seeing a few cars there.

When he entered, it reminded him of the café back home. A few people sat in the booths, and he went to take a seat at the counter. Before he could even order, a coffee cup appeared before him, filled with the coffee he liked. The waitress appeared before him and Mr. Oliver assumed that she was there to take his order. The waitress spoke before Mr. Oliver could.

"That is how you like your coffee, right?" she asked.

"Yes," Mr. Oliver nodded. "How did you know?"

"We know everything here, Mr. Oliver," the waitress replied. "A piece of advice: when people run in circles, it's a very, very mad world."

Mr. Oliver finally looked up at her, seeing his wife standing before him.

* * *

A/N: So this was the short story I had to write for my English class. I only change the main character's name so that the main character was a power ranger. Also, the first part of this one-shot that is written in italics (not the first AN, but the actual story part) is kind of a little background story and is not originally part of what I have to hand in.

Hope you liked it!

Song lyrics credited to "Goodbye" by The Ruse. Last spoken line credited to the line in the song "Mad World" by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules.


End file.
